The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-01-27
TEMPERANCE READING.
MAN, HIS OWN STAR.

MAN, HIS OWN STAR.
The Temperance, ana An Other Reforms,
Must Eventually Enll BACK upon the In.
dividual.
II Mr.. 7. j. Morgan, who lately read
. very interesting letter on the subject
Of intemperance among the working
classes before the English-speaking sec.
ton of the Socialists, would only make
an unbiased study Of the subject his
views would be Of greater weight with
the community ut large and his advice
would be more valuable to those to
whom it is more especially addressed.
In the two "open letters" he has read
upon the subject he has betrayed more
inclination to blame some one else for
the acknowledged intemperance among
working-men than to place the re-
sponsibility where it must inevitably
rcst-upon the individual. Mr.. Nor
gan does not look the facts squarely in
the face, but seeks to put the cart be-
fore the horse-the effect before the
cause. While heredity, social customs,
and industrial conditions unquestion-
ably have their influence upon the
drinking habits Of many working-men,
they are not accountable for them.
Each man must be held to a personal
responsibility for his own weakness. 1t
is for the individual to fight against the
effect Of heredity, social customs or in
dustrial conditions that tend to impair
his usefulness as a member Of society,
just as It IL the duty of society to
render him every assistance and en-
couragement possible.
Mr.. Morgan says that the working
man is driven to the saloon to find ''re-
lief for his tired hand and brain-relief
from the dusty factory and noisy shop.
In the saloon, with cards and beer and
friendly neighbors, his social instincts
find degree Of qualification. And
Mr.. Morgan says that he is driven to
this because his home Is not cheerful.
1t ought not to be possible for an in
intelligent man to 80 misstate the order
of things; the cheerless home follows, it
does not precede, the qualification of
social instincts in the saloon, with
cards and beer and friendly neighbors.
With the money worse than wasted in
the saloon the industrious working
man can adorn his home with little
comforts, with happy faces and with
social enjoyments and recreations be-
side which the attractions of the saloon
are the variest Dead sea pleasures.
Where does Mr.. Morgan find warrant for
his suggestion that a working-man
gets "relief for his tired hand and
brain" in the social reunion in the sa-
loonP What relief is there from "the
dusty factory and noisy shop in the
atmosphere of tobacco smoke, stale
beer and fetid dissipation Of the sa-
loonp Does not Mr.. Morgan know
that the working-man who seeks relief
in such ways only adds to his exhaus-
ton; only heaps dissolute nights on
laborious days; only goes to his work
in the morning less efficient for the
''relief' Of the evening; only spends in
riotous living the surplus Of his earn
ings which would give him happy,
attractive homer
The individual working-man who
frequehts the saloon at night has with
in his own control means of elevating
himself beyond any thing that can be
done for him by the philanthropy of
society. Ten cents worth of sponge
and a bucket Of water, a five-cent book
on home calisthenics, good daily
newspaper, the books embracing every
thing worth reading printed in the va
rious "libraries," and French coffee
pot are worth more to working-man
than all the free baths, gymnasiums,
lecture and reading rooms, and coffee
houses in the world, and they and
much more can be had forwhat is spent
for relief not found in the saloons.
There is practically no limit to what a
working-man may hope to gain by
stunning the saloons and devoting his
spare time u his home and temperate
recreation. Institutions for his benefit
can never be Of great use to him until
he forsakes the beer and cards and
"friendly neighbour" he finds in the
saloon.
Society owes 1t to itself to throw
about the working classes every pro-
lection from evil habits it can to shield
them from the temptations of their
condition. and to encourage them to
puror, happier, more elevated lives.
But when all is said it must be remem-
bered that "man is his own STAR" and
the elevation of the class must depend
upon the self-denial, industry, sobriety
and intelligence Of its individual MEM
bers. Chicago Nes0s.